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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 19/9/44; Grenier 7/10/44; Assigned 322BS/91BG [LG-L/P/F] Bassingbourn 4/11/44; battle damaged Berlin 5/12/44 with Bob Roach, John Temple, Gus Mantia, Joe Canellas, Bill Hogan, Roland Michel (6 Returned to Duty); George Alexander, Eldon Larsen, Bob Faulkner (3 Prisoner of War); several flak hits, but made it back to base; Missing Air Crew Report 11331. 46m + two Rubberneck & two POW trips. Returned to the USA Bradley 15/6/45; Sth Plains 21/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 6/12/45. SWEET DISH.
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
Squadron
Military | Flight Officer | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Navigator on plane 44-6596 'Sweet Dish'. Plane badly damaged during mission on 5 December 1944. Alexander and two other crew members bailed out and were captured. Rest of crew stayed on board and pilot was able to nurse aircraft back to base.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Ball turret gunner on B-17 44-6596 'Sweet Dish'. Plane badly damaged on mission on 5 December 1944. Three crew members bailed out and were captured. Rest of crew stayed on board and pilot was able to nurse aircraft...
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Top Turret Gunner with plane #44-6596 'Sweet Dish'. Plane badly damaged during mission on 5 December 1944. Faulkner and two others bailed out and were captured. Rest of crew stayed on board and pilot was able to nurse aircraft back to base.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
On 23 Nov 1942 St Nazaire Submarine Pen mission, he failed to reach the target and turned back. The Stabilizer was accidentlly shot off by the waist gunner.
...
Military | Major | Tail Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Had an Agricultural deferment that would have kept him out of the war. Went to the Marine recruiter to enlist but they were out to lunch. The Army Air Corps recruiter happened to be in so he joined the Army Air Corps instead. Was orginally part of...
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Ball turret gunner on plane 44-6596 'Sweet Dish'. Plane badly damaged on mission on 5 December 1944. Three crew members bailed out and were captured. Rest of crew remained on board and pilot was able to nurse plane back to base.
Military | Sergeant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Bombadier on plane 44-6596 'Sweet Dish'. Plane badly damaged during mission on 5 December 1944. Larsen and two other crew members bailed out and were captured. Rest of crew stayed on board and pilot was able to nurse aircraft back to base.
Military | Sergeant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
completed 34 missions, plane name was 'Sweet Dish' #44-6596
...
Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Radio operator on plane 44-6596 'Sweet Dish'. Plane badly damaged during mission on 5 December 1944. Navigator, bombadier and top turrent gunner bailed out and were captured. Rest of crew stayed on board and pilot was able to nurse plane back to base.
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Aircraft B-17 #4231367 'Chow Hound. 'Also tail gunner on board #46596 'Sweet Dish'. Plane badly damaged on mission on 5 December 1944. Three crew members bailed out and were captured. Rest of crew, including Michel stayed on board and pilot was able to...
Military site : airfield
Now home to a museum all about the aifield and its USAAF residents (http://www.towermuseumbassingbourn.co.uk/) , Bassingbourn opened in 1938 as part of the RAF's pre-war expansion programme. The RAF continued to use it until late in 1942 when its long...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 5 December 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 2014 18:41:52 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 11331 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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